"It's a personal choice and Joe's decision on this matter has got nothing to do with me," said Long. "I have been blessed with a successful professional career and I just don't need this additional salary. The community taxpayers, and those in need right now, do. I am purely donating my time and experience to public service. This is my way of giving back to our community."

Derella, a Millville commissioner and vice mayor, commends Long's success and thinks his pledge will help residents, but the salary for him is necessary for the amount of work and hours he expects to put in.

Republican incumbent, Tom Sheppard, and fellow Republican constituents are also not jumping on board with Long's pledge.

"No, we're not going to do that. We haven't talked about it and I wouldn't see why we would do something like that," said Sheppard. "I see something like that as pretty insincere."

“People like him are the very reason property taxes in New Jersey continue to spiral out of control," Greco said.

Long heads a legal firm, Long, Marmero & Associates, an organization that primarily serves municipal and corporate clients, which Long feels is an asset to his political aspirations.

“Procedurally, I’ve written thousands of ordinances ... my experience will allow me to see things beneath the surface that many officials gloss over and miss."

Sheppard described himself as a working middle-class guy and referred to Long as a wealthy attorney whose salary proposal wouldn’t mean a thing to a person of his financial means.

"He's a rich attorney," Sheppard said, "I think the people know better. Giving back $15,000 to the county isn't going to cure Cumberland's problems."

Long sees a savings of $15,000 as no small matter.

"This is exactly the point," said Long. "The Republicans are out of
touch, fiscally irresponsible, who have not created one signal job since
having been in office and only helping their fellow cronies. My
running-mate and I are a unified front who will save our county's
residents from this Republican debacle."

Long has gotten rich at the taxpayers' expense, Greco argued, and should explain how he did this, instead of bragging about how wealthy he is in a press release.